1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber coupling system, and particularly to a system controlling an optical fiber coupling device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, it is necessary to distribute a signal stream for use in optical fiber transmission. For example, a signal may be distributed to a number of terminals, or a signal stream with consecutive signals transmitted in an optical fiber may be respectively sent to different terminals. In this case, it is required to apply an optical fiber coupling device for coupling a plurality of optical fibers.
FIG. 1 shows a basic structure of a conventional optical fiber coupling device. The conventional optical fiber coupling device has a guide track 50 and two stretching blocks 10. Each stretching block 10 has a vacuum pedestal 60 and a power output mechanism 70 for moving the stretching block 10. Each of the stretching blocks 10 is movably installed onto the guide track 50. Then the optical fibers 40 (two as illustrated) are fixed in place on the vacuum pedestal 60, and the stretching blocks 10 move on the guide track 50 by the power output mechanism 70 such as a linear movement driver. The two stretching blocks 10 are relatively linearly movable forming a stretching device so that optical fibers 40 to be coupled are drawn by the vacuum pedestals 60 in a manner of weaving or in parallel contact for stretching. Further, the device 100 has a heating device 20 that movably focuses heat on the weaving node (contact node) 40a by conducting inflammable gas, such as hydrogen, so that the optical fibers fuse together by the combined stretching force and heat. Finally, the packaging device 30 packs the contact node 40a with a package element, such as a steel tube, to protect the contact node 40a. 
In FIG. 1, the optical fiber coupling device is provided with plural devices for driving to control the devices described above. The plural devices include a first, a second and a third auto-control devices 11, 21 and 31 provided inside, and first and a second activating devices 22 and 32. The function of these plural devices will be described hereinafter.
When receiving a first driving signal DS1, the first auto-control device 11 moves the stretching blocks 10 to a predetermined position according to a first moving parameter MVP1, and produces a first state parameter STP1 corresponding to the moving of the stretching blocks 10 by a position sensor (not shown) of the stretching blocks 10. The first moving parameter MVP1 includes a stretching block position parameter, and a stretching block speed parameter, each for defining the desired state, that is, the desired position and moving speed of the stretching blocks 10.
When receiving a second driving signal DS2, the second auto-control device 21 moves the heating device 20 to a predetermined position according to a second moving parameter MVP2, and produces a second state parameter STP2 corresponding to the moving of the heating device 20 by a position sensor (not shown) of the heating device 20. The second moving parameter MVP2 includes a heating device position parameter, and a heating device speed parameter, each for defining the desired position and moving speed of the heating device 20.
When receiving a third driving signal DS3, the third auto-control device 31 moves the packaging device 30 to a predetermined position according to a third moving parameter MVP3, and produces a third state parameter STP3 corresponding to the moving of the packaging device 30 by a position sensor (not shown) of the packaging device 30. The third moving parameter MVP3 includes a packaging device position parameter, and a packaging device speed parameter, each for defining the desired position and moving speed of the packaging device 30.
The first activating device 22 drives the heating device 20 to perform the heat focusing operation according to a heating parameter FP when receiving a first activating signal TS1. The hydrogen flow rate, for example, can be modulated by the heating parameter FP, so that heat produced varies.
The second activating device 32 drives the packaging device 30 to perform the packaging when receiving a second activating signal TS2.
When the optical fiber performs the signal stream distribution, the signal distributed has different intensity distribution conditions according to requirements. The distribution generally represents a coupling ratio, which is a scale of signal intensity of the output end of the optical fiber in proportion. By controlling the stretching force in fusing the contact node, the position and optical characteristics of the coupled optical fibers can be varied. Thus, the stretching process and the heating condition greatly affect the coupling result of the optical fiber.
Generally, the optical fiber coupling device has a transmission checking device 80 for measuring the coupling ratio. In FIG. 1, for example, a light input signal S1 is provided to the input end 41 of the optical fiber, and the corresponding light output signals S2, S3 are received from the output ends 42,43. Thus, a heat energy ratio between the output signals S2 and S3 is obtained.
In practical use, if a signal from the input end 41 is to be distributed to the output ends 42, 43, the coupling ratio can be modulated to a certain proportion, such as 50%:50%, 60%:40%, or 90%:10%. If two signals Sa and Sb with different wavelength are respectively directed to each of the output ends 42 and 43, the coupling ratio can be set to such as 0%:100% for Sa, and 100%:0% for Sb.
The transmission checking device 80 provides a light input signal according to a digital light coupling input value CDi to the input end 41, receives at least two corresponding light output signals (not shown) from the output ends 42, 43, and produces at least two digital light coupling output values CDo corresponding to the light output signals.
The optical fiber coupling device as mentioned above requires a manufacturing process controlling device to accurately perform the optical fiber coupling. However, in the conventional optical fiber coupling system, there is a drawback in that no convenient user interface exists. As a result, a user cannot modulate the parameters and check the state of the manufacturing process easily, which reduces the efficiency in reaction to any possible condition occurring in the conventional optical fiber coupling system.
In view of this, the present invention discloses an optical fiber coupling system, comprising at least an optical fiber coupling device for coupling at least two optical fibers so that a contact node forms on the optical fibers, the contact node comprising at least an input end and at least two output end.
The optical fiber coupling device in the present invention comprises: a stretching device having two relatively linearly movable stretching blocks for stretching the optical fibers to be coupled by relative linear movement; a heating device for movably fusing the contact node by a heat focusing operation; a packaging device for movably packaging the contact node; a first auto-control device that, when receiving a first driving signal, moves the stretching blocks to a determined position according to a first moving parameter and producing a first state parameter corresponding to the moving of the stretching blocks; a second auto-control device that, when receiving a second driving signal, moves the heating device to a determined position according to a second moving parameter and producing a second state parameter corresponding to the moving of the heating device; a third auto-control device that, when receiving a third driving signal, moves the packaging device to a determined position according to a third moving parameter and producing a third state parameter corresponding to the moving of the packaging device; a first activating device that, when receiving a first activating signal, drives the heating device to perform the heat focusing operation according to a heating parameter; a second activating device that, when receiving a second activating signal, drives the packaging device to perform the packaging; and a transmission checking device for providing a light input signal, according to a digital light coupling input value, to the input end of the contact node, receiving at least two corresponding light output signals from the output ends of the contact node, and producing at least two digital light coupling output values corresponding to the light output signals.
The optical fiber coupling system is characterized in a manufacturing process controlling device comprising: a display; a computing unit for respectively computing a light coupling output ratio according to each of the light coupling output values of the output ends to obtain at least a coupling ratio; a process control unit for changing the first, second and third moving parameters and the heat parameter according to a first setup parameter, and coupling the optical fibers by producing the first driving signal in a first period, the second driving signal in a second period, the third driving signal in a third period, the first activating signal in a fourth period, and the second activating signal in a fifth period according to the coupling ratios and a second setup parameter, so that each of the coupling ratios respectively becomes a predetermined coupling ratio; a first setup unit for directly modulating the first, second and third moving parameters, and modulating the first setup parameter; a second setup unit for modulating the second setup parameter; a third setup unit for modulating the coupling ratio; a test unit for producing the digital light coupling input value; and an interface unit for displaying information in the form of window interface on the display, wherein the information comprises the first, second and third moving parameters, the first, second and third state parameters, the first and second setup parameters, the heating parameter, the coupling ratio, and the predetermined coupling ratio.
In the above optical fiber coupling system, the first period, the second period, the third period and the fourth period partially overlap, and the manufacturing process controlling device can be in a computer.
Each of the first, second and third moving parameters comprises a plurality of position parameters and speed parameters of a predetermined moving position of the stretching blocks, the heating device and the packaging device.
The first setup parameter comprises starting position parameters corresponding to origin positions of the stretching blocks, a stretching speed parameter defined by a speed of the stretching blocks in stretching the optical fibers, a heat energy parameter corresponding to energy applied in the focusing heat process of the heating device, and a package position parameter corresponding to a package position of the packaging device.
The process control unit reproduces the first driving signal in a sixth period. The second setup parameter comprises a heating delay parameter related to a first delay corresponding to a difference between commencement of the first period and commencement of the fourth period, and a cooling delay parameter related to a second delay corresponding to a difference between conclusion of the fourth period and commencement of the sixth period.
The second setup parameter further comprises a pre-coupling parameter related to a pre-coupling ratio, and the process control unit controls the conclusion of the fourth period in accordance with variation of the coupling ratio so that the heating device stops focusing heat on the optical fibers when the coupling ratio reaches the pre-coupling ratio.
The manufacturing process controlling device further comprises a login unit for defining at least one linking correlation controlling any of the optical fiber coupling devices.
The manufacturing process controlling device further comprises a storage device having a first database for storing the first and second setup parameters, the heating parameter, the first, second and third moving parameters, and the predetermined coupling ratio. The storage device has a second database for storing the first, second and third state parameters and the coupling ratio change in a sequence of time.
The manufacturing process controlling device comprises a first checking device for comparing the light coupling input value with the light coupling output values according to a first standard value to obtain a corresponding first checking data. The storage device comprises a third database for storing the first standard value, and a fourth database for storing the first checking data.
The manufacturing process controlling device comprises a second checking device for producing the predetermined first, second and third moving parameters and the first, second and third driving signals according to a predetermined second standard value, and checking the first, second and third state parameters to obtain a corresponding second checking data. The second checking device performs the checking when no optical fibers are installed in the optical fiber coupling device.
The storage device comprises a fifth database for storing the second standard value, and a sixth database for storing the second checking data.
The manufacturing process controlling device comprises a third checking device for checking input and output of the plurality of signals between the manufacturing process controlling device and the optical fiber coupling device to obtain a corresponding third checking data. The storage device comprises a seventh database for storing the third standard value, and a eighth database for storing the third checking data.
The manufacturing process controlling device comprises a monitoring device for monitoring any of the linking correlations to obtain a corresponding fourth checking data. The storage device comprises a ninth database for storing the fourth checking data.
The manufacturing process controlling device comprises a data locking device for performing a locking process of the first and second setup parameter, the heating parameter, the first, second and third moving parameters, and the coupling ratio of any of the optical fiber coupling devices. The locking process comprises a password setting process.